LAS VEGAS – The Conor McGregor hype train just jumped onto the high-speed track.
In front of an MGM Grand Garden Arena filled half with Irish flags and half with people waiting to see the cocky Dubliner finally get his comeuppance, McGregor aced his biggest test to date.
The featherweight contender proved himself legit with a TKO in just 1:46 Saturday night at UFC 178.
“I don’t just knock them out, I pick the round,” said McGregor (16-2), who won his 12th straight fight and improved to 4-0 in the UFC.
McGregor kept Poirier off balance with a series of spinning kicks in the early going. For his part, Poirier (17-3) couldn’t quite find his range and seemed to come up just a bit short on a couple heavy uppercuts.
The end came when McGregor clipped Poirier with a punch, which dropped him face-first to the mat. When Poirier was unresponsive after a couple more shots, referee Herb Dean waved it off.
McGregor, who confirmed the rumors of a hand injury, saying he tore a ligament in his thumb four weeks ago, put both the division and champion Jose Aldo on notice.
“What the other featherweights don’t understand, is that it’s a whole ‘nother game when they get hit by me,” McGregor said. “The world title is next.”